Lassana Diarra factfile: 10 things you need to know about the Manchester City target

1) After a promising start in youth football, Paris-born Diarra was told he was too lightweight for professional football at 5ft 8ins and just 9 stone and was forced to return to his studies at 16. When he was 18, however, he signed his first professional contract with French side Le Havre, where he was nicknamed 'the new Makelele'.

2) Subsequent Diarra nicknames have included 'Hammerhead' and 'Di-arrow' (did you see what they did there?)

3) With the old one beginning to slow up, Chelsea fancied signing a 'new Makelele' in 2005 and snapped Lassana up for a cool £1million.

4) Diarra, of Malian descent, was named as Chelsea's Young Player of the Year for the 2005/06 season, but quit the club in 2007 in search of regular first team football at rivals Arsenal.

5) Obviously upset at not getting a testimonial at The Emirates after starting eight games for the Gunners, our hero moved on again to Portsmouth last January - meaning he had played for three Premier League teams in just 29 months. Football's version of the Littlest Hobo has since been linked with Tottenham and now Manchester City.

6) Former Pompey manager Harry Redknapp is an admirer. Harry's son Jamie is infamous for calling Premier League stars "a top, top player" during his snore-inducing Sky Sports appearances. But dad hailed Lassana as a "top, top, top player".

7) The defensive midfielder isn't that top at scoring goals, however. He's represented the French national side on 16 occasions, but has yet to find the back of the net. Which is unsurprising given this penalty kick in the Community Shield final.

8) Here he is during his Chelsea days trying to speak English.

9) At 1m 73cms Diarra is the same height as Anna Kournikova and Humphrey Bogart. When Bogart was alive, obviously.

10) Now look at the little fella go!

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